Reference News Network, December 14 report (by Zhou Chen) In today's world, a new round of scientific and technological revolution and industrial transformation is deeply developing. Riding on the东风 of scientific and technological innovation, China's manufacturing industry not only maintains a leading position in scale worldwide, but also has taken the lead in some high-tech industries.

Industry insiders said that the current development environment for manufacturing is facing profound and complex changes. There are many uncertainties internationally, anti-globalization ideas are rising, and competition in the technology industry is becoming increasingly fierce. China's manufacturing industry is at an important turning point, transitioning from large to strong. How to maintain traditional advantages while enhancing internal driving forces through technological innovation, and "strengthen both inside and outside" to cope with the changing world situation, is the key issue for future development.

Innovation Stimulates Internal Momentum

Innovation has always been the core driving force for high-quality development in manufacturing, and it is also the key to China's manufacturing upgrading. The "14th Five-Year Plan" proposal clearly states that we should accelerate the self-reliance and strength of high-level science and technology, focusing on key areas and core technologies. This has pointed out the direction for China's manufacturing innovation, which has gone beyond single technological breakthroughs and now focuses more on building an industrial ecosystem capable of continuously nurturing innovative outcomes.

From the past "introduction, digestion, absorption" to the present "self-innovation leadership," Chinese manufacturing is building a new innovation model. This change is particularly evident in the field of electronic information technology in recent years.

Previously, the Chinese electronic information sector was criticized for having a "lack of chips and soul" problem, being constantly "strangled" by foreign countries. These shortcomings are being gradually filled. At the recent 2025 Bay Area Semiconductor Industry Ecology Expo (Wanxin Exhibition), Shenzhen company XinKailai successfully went viral, becoming the focus of online attention, achieving a key technological breakthrough in high-end electronic measurement instruments, demonstrating the strong innovation capabilities of the "Chinese chip."

The original HarmonyOS operating system developed by Huawei has become the world's third major mobile operating system after Apple's iOS and Android, marking a significant breakthrough in China's fundamental software technology capabilities. From then on, domestic operating systems have had a "soul," representing a landmark achievement in China's high-level science and technology self-reliance and strength.

High-end display technology directly relates to consumers' user experience. In the past, Japanese and South Korean companies held absolute authority in this area. However, at the International Consumer Electronics Show held in Las Vegas, USA in January this year, Chinese company Hisense launched a breakthrough RGB-Mini LED display technology, solving a 20-year-old industry problem in one go, causing a sensation. According to media reports on-site, experts from top international brands spent over ten minutes examining the Hisense TV screen, repeatedly testing technical indicators with instruments in their hands.

Beneath the observation of competitors with a "magnifying glass" reflects the collaborative innovation of China's industrial chain. Many Chinese companies have established joint laboratories with suppliers, universities, and other institutions, accelerating the integration of industry R&D resources. The energy of technological breakthroughs by leading enterprises is transmitted along the industrial chain, jointly promoting the technological advancement of the entire industry. As the Atlantic Council, a U.S. think tank, stated in its analysis report, "China is building a full-chain innovation system covering basic research, application development, and industrialization through systematic innovation policies. This model is changing the global innovation landscape."

Quality Builds the Foundation of Brands

Quality is the lifeline of manufacturing and the passport to participate in global competition. Walking the path of quality-driven development is not only an internal requirement for China's manufacturing to achieve transformation and upgrading, but also an inevitable choice to enhance the international competitiveness of the industry.

In recent years, China's market supervision authorities have focused on improving the role of quality in enterprise growth, industrial circle strengthening, and urban sustainable development. They have strengthened the systematic integration and application of quality infrastructure elements, and focused on carrying out actions to strengthen enterprises, industrial chains, and counties (districts, towns). By the end of last year, the number of internationally recognized calibration and measurement capabilities in China reached 1,958, ranking among the world's top, continuously promoting the formulation of international standards such as brand evaluation terminology, significantly enhancing the visibility and influence of Chinese brands.

Today, high-tech enterprises such as Huawei and DJI have gained numerous international voices through their technical strengths, earning greater global recognition. The "Guochao" internet celebrity brand Pop Mart's La Bulu doll, with exquisite craftsmanship, has been popular with consumers around the world. Hisense has won the National Quality Technology First Prize three times, and BYD has empowered new productive forces with a global quality management system, both being considered models of industry quality management. Few people would cross the ocean to buy smart toilet lids from Japan; sanitation products made in Xiamen, Fujian, have already become benchmarks for high-end sanitation products globally.

At the 2025 Berlin International Consumer Electronics Exhibition and the 2025 German International Automotive and Smart Mobility Exhibition, Chinese enterprises became the focus of the event. Many European companies and consumers were attracted by China's smart products and cool technologies. Leif Lindner, the head of the Berlin International Consumer Electronics Exhibition, said that Chinese enterprises "are growing from quick followers into global leaders."

Currently, Chinese manufacturing is at a critical stage of structural adjustment and quality improvement. A new round of industrial transformation provides opportunities for quality upgrading. Network information technologies such as big data, cloud computing, and the Internet of Things are interacting and integrating with manufacturing, profoundly changing the development concepts and methods of manufacturing. Modern manufacturing concepts like "Lighthouse Factories" and "Green Factories" are taking root in the soil of Chinese manufacturing, and China's quality management model is becoming increasingly mature.

"Going Global" Leads to Win-Win Cooperation

In recent years, Chinese manufacturing has deeply integrated into the global supply chain, gaining broader development space. From tea beverage brands popular in Southeast Asia to electric vehicles dominating Europe, from AI hardware companies rooted in Latin America to energy companies mining in Africa, Chinese enterprises' "going global" is shifting from "product export" to "system export."

Not only are large enterprises accelerating globalization, but small and medium-sized enterprises are also upgrading from "product exports" to "enterprise going global," further expanding to "technology ecological spillover." However, exploring overseas markets is not without obstacles, facing various risks and uncertainties. Alone, a single enterprise often struggles to cope. At this time, the leading role of leading enterprises becomes apparent.

GAC Group's five overseas production bases have achieved localized operations combined with global collaborative manufacturing. CATL's battery solutions have been deeply embedded in the supply systems of multiple international car manufacturers. Hisense has 30 R&D institutions globally, 37 industrial parks and manufacturing bases, and 64 overseas companies and offices, enabling 26 supplier enterprises to "go global" ... These overseas bases are not only extensions of production capacity but also showcase the standards, quality management systems, and digital transformation experience of Chinese manufacturing.

Industry insiders say that from scale expansion to quality enhancement, from technology following to innovation leadership, from product exports to ecological output, Chinese manufacturing is undergoing a profound systemic transformation. It not only continues to enhance its own risk resistance, but also signals a new picture of an industrial civilization that is co-created and shared.

Original: toutiao.com/article/7583630800680419855/

Statement: This article represents the views of the author.